New money to smarten up the high street
MORE than £50,000 has been given to Nottingham City Council to tackle empty shops.
The Government grant has also been given to Mansfield and Ashfield district councils.
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An empty shop in Hockley
The funding will help pay for "creative" ways to revive empty shops and re-open them for community use.
Each council can use the grant as they see fit on ideas to boost town centres.
Communities secretary John Denham said: "We know that the downturn has really hurt high streets in areas of high deprivation across the East Midlands. These grants will help to transform and re-open empty shops as part of our real help to keep town centres vibrant and combat the recession.
"Those councils will now be able to use our funding to come up with their own creative ideas to transform their boarded-up shops into something useful, like a learning centre, meeting place for local people or showroom for local artists.
"There is no need to see unused shops on our high streets going to waste."
4 Comments
by Andrew, Bestwood Lodge
Friday, August 14 2009, 10:48AM
“The shops need business, how about charging all the employees £250 per month? that should attract folk back to the shops.”
by William, Nottingham
Friday, August 14 2009, 9:49AM
“They are making a sort of Labourland theme park? and they're making us pay for it.”
by william, sherwood
Friday, August 14 2009, 9:15AM
“if the councils werent so besotted with the cash that supermarkets give them, perhaps small shops might have a chance to survive, ie Beeston and Carlton.Hypocritical as usual typical Nu labour spin - perhaps when they are all voted out of power next year they can take their MPs golden parachutes (£160000) and open up a shop!”
by redjohnny, Misk hills
Thursday, August 13 2009, 7:57PM
“So they're giving money out so empty shops can be used as meeting places meanwhile half a dozen Pubs are shutting every week-as the yanks say go figure'”